


Shopping Shenanigans

by peachMeowchi



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Established Friendship, Fluff, Gender-neutral Reader, Light-Hearted, Other, Reader is kind of bold, Reader is not Frisk or Chara, mutual crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-18 03:27:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18112322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachMeowchi/pseuds/peachMeowchi
Summary: "Yeah!! Well!" you fisted your hands in front of you, adopting a defensive posture as the two of you meandered down the pasta section, "You're! A dodecahedron! Ask me why!!""THAT'S VERY FLATTERING, BUT ACTUALLY, I AM A CYLINDER," Papyrus scoffed, though he was grinning playfully right back at you as he paused to turn his attention from the shelves beside him. "BUT I WILL INDULGE YOU...WHYAM I A DODECAHEDRON, HUMAN?""Because!! Imma DECK you!" you exclaimed, throwing your arms up and ramming into him lightly._______In which Reader and Papyrus go on a shopping trip in a nearly empty store, and fluff ensues.





	Shopping Shenanigans

**Author's Note:**

> this doesn't have much structure, it all just kind of happens? 
> 
> thanks for all the fish. :3

"Actually," you were saying, your hands clasped behind your back as you took long strides to keep up with Papyrus, who was pushing the cart next to you, "I think the food triangle was a myth, or something? And they changed it to some other... more efficient food shape? I never actually bothered to look into that, though..."

You were out doing the weekly shopping with Papyrus, the two of you having chosen to leave later in the day to avoid the crowds. This was mostly for your benefit, as Papyrus didn't mind crowds of people at all, but you had said you wanted to go, so he had arranged this immediately. As it turned out, leaving so late had been unnecessary, because it was snowing so badly that it seemed nobody except Papyrus was brave (or foolish) enough to drive out in the storm. As a result, the two of you were some of the only customers, almost the only people in the store at all, save for the occasional employee. 

Most of them were using this as a relaxation day, it seemed- nobody was really stocking much in the aisles, and most of the workers seemed to have taken to clustering together in small groups and chatting. You weren't complaining- far from it, actually! These were ideal shopping conditions, as far as you were concerned, and essentially having the store to yourselves had put you in a very good mood.

"HMMM," Papyrus was saying as he considered the pasta on the shelf next to him, plucking up a box of bow ties and setting them in the cart before selecting some penne as well, "I SEE. IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF IT WAS SOME SORT OF SQUARE, NOW. HUMANS DO SEEM TO BE OVERLY FOND OF THAT GEOMETRIC SHAPE. THAT, AND CUBES." He was nodding- you chuckled playfully.

"What, are you callin' me a _square_ , bucko??" you asked in a bad New York accent, and glanced up at Papyrus, who surprised you by giving you an appraising once-over. A faint heat rose in your cheeks.

"HMMM, NO," he said, making you bark out a laugh. "WHILE I WILL ADMIT, I HAVE SEEN MANY A HUMAN WITH SHARPER AND MORE, DARE I SAY IT, ' _RECTANGULAR_ ' FIGURES, YOU ARE MUCH SOFTER AND ROUNDER-" you sputtered, but before you could say much, Papyrus was already plowing on, "IF I HAD TO ASSIGN YOU A SHAPE, IT WOULD BE... AN OVAL," and he nodded with finality, moving to place several different boxes of spaghetti noodles in the cart.

"Yeah!! Well!" you fisted your hands in front of you, adopting a defensive posture as the two of you meandered down the pasta section, "You're! A dodecahedron! Ask me why!!"

"THAT'S VERY FLATTERING, BUT ACTUALLY, I AM A CYLINDER," Papyrus scoffed, though he was grinning playfully right back at you as he paused to turn his attention from the shelves beside him. "BUT I WILL INDULGE YOU... _WHY_ AM I A DODECAHEDRON, HUMAN?"

"Because!! Imma DECK you!" you exclaimed, throwing your arms up and ramming into him lightly. He barely stumbled, letting out a shocked sort of noise as he stared down at your grinning face, his own expression turning from surprise to amusement.

"OHO! IS THAT SO!" he bumped you back, sending you stumbling, and you laughed, tugging out your phone as you righted yourself.

" _Yeah, see!_ " you all but shouted, lapsing into a fake mobster voice before you unlocked your phone and nudged him with your elbow, "Okay, watch this- hey, google?"

He leaned over you to observe your phone as it dinged twice, a white screen opening as the Google app booted up, gray text that read 'I'm listening...' displayed at the top.

"What is the new food shape?" you asked, a smile already curling at your lips. Your phone dinged twice, and the two of you watched as it searched Google for ' _What is Dan, you floo shape?_ ' You laughed at the incomprehensible results, and Papyrus gave a surprised little chuckle, reaching over you to pluck your phone out of your hand. You looked up at him as he straightened, holding your phone by the sides directly in front of his face, his teeth curving up in bemusement.

"THAT IS HARDLY EVEN CLOSE!" he chortled, as you moved around the still cart to stand in front of it.

He noticed this, handing back your phone and lifting his brow bones in question. Before he could actually ask anything, you tucked your phone in your pocket and climbed up on the front bar of the cart, bending forward to hold the basket. Your weight immediately began to tip it forward, but he was quick to correct it, even with just one hand.

"OHO!" he exclaimed with a grin, beginning to peruse the pasta again with his other hand, "IS THIS SOME FORM OF HUMAN WEIGHT TRAINING?" he asked, claiming one more box of noodles before he started pushing the cart with ease, despite your presence clinging to the front.

"No!" you yelled, giving a sudden jump as if you were trying to purposefully tip the cart. It didn't budge against his grip. "It's! MY weight training!" you went on, and he smiled down at you, humming.

"IS THAT RIGHT?" he asked, suddenly pushing his weight down on the front as he walked, easily tipping the cart towards him.

You yelped, your feet slipping from the bar, and he reached out an arm to help steady you as your feet connected with the tile again. You grasped his hand gratefully, stumbling away from the cart and back around the side while he drew himself up with some form of mocking pride, taking his hand back and grinning down at you in triumph.

"IT APPEARS THAT I AM THE VICTOR! I HAVE SUCCEEDED IN COMPLETING YOUR WEIGHT TRAINING CHALLENGE!" he exclaimed, and you scowled up at him, though you were still smiling. He poked you once on the arm, very lightly, "AND IT APPEARS THAT _YOU_ ARE FULL OF MISCHIEF TODAY, HUMAN!"

"Yeah!" you laughed, and then, struck by a sudden inspiration, you held your arms up at him, as if asking for a hug, and winked. "Maybe I'll stop messing around so much if you give me a piggy back ride! Since you're so strong!" He blanched, blinking down at you for a second and slowing the cart to a stop at the sauce section.

"A- A PIGGY BACK RIDE?" he asked, seeming to enunciate carefully. You snickered, then your face lit up, and you hopped excitedly.

"Or- no! You should let me sit on your shoulders!" you shouted, the sudden idea of being able to look down at the world from so high up extremely appealing. He stared at you for a moment in silence, and it was enough to make you think you'd gone a little too far with that request. You lowered your arms, chuckling nervously and glancing away. "I mean- I was just playing around, Pap, I wasn't actually- whoah!"

Papyrus had reached down to suddenly lift you, as easily as if you were a sack of potatoes. He settled you carefully on his shoulders, and you were quick to lock your legs in place around his ribs, clinging to his hands as if afraid you might fall. His shoulders rose and fell with chuckles beneath you, and he took one hand back, but allowed you to keep the other to balance as he picked about a dozen cans of tomato paste from the shelf. You looked around, gasping in awe as you took in the whole of the store- you could see all the way to the deli and the produce section on your right, and then, to your left, you could see the tops of the frozen aisles. You still couldn't quite see to the floor of the aisle next to you, but the view was very cool, regardless.

After a moment, you let go of his hand. Some employees from the deli had spotted you, and as they looked up from their huddle to gape in your direction, you waved at them with both of your arms, a low, mischievous laugh rumbling out from your chest.

"ARE YOU HAVING FUN?" Papyrus quipped sarcastically, and you laughed again, leaning forward to curl your body over his skull. He sputtered, seeming shocked, a bright blue blush staining his cheekbones suddenly, "I- WH- HUMAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

"Just checkin' on my favorite bony boy!" you sang playfully, snickering.

"WELL! I! AM RIGHT BELOW YOU! I DO NOT NEED!! YOU TO CHECK ON ME!!" he exclaimed, his voice pitching up slightly. You smiled, and- giving in to a sudden impulse- you leaned forward to plant a quick, chaste kiss to his forehead, then leaned back to hide above the crown of his skull again.

"WH-!! I-!! YOU-!" he was saying, his tone exceedingly flustered, but before he could continue, a stout, harassed-looking human with a comb-over, black slacks, and a crisp, blue shirt came rushing into the aisle from the direction of the deli. As he turned around the corner, he took one look at you, perched on top of the excessively-tall skeleton monster, and gave a rather put-upon sigh while you grinned delightedly down at him.

"No," he was saying, as he approached the two of you, "No, you can't do that, I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to get down. You're up high enough to hit the sale signs and decorations, so-"

Before he had even finished his thought, Papyrus had reached up to lift you from his shoulders, prompting a quiet, playful "aaaaaaaa," from you as he placed you directly in front of him and behind the cart. The human looked baffled by the sight of a fully grown adult being lifted around like a rag doll, but he didn't comment, looking mildly relieved that he hadn't needed to argue.

"OF- OF COURSE," Papyrus was saying primly, making a sound like clearing one's throat, "DO NOT WORRY, RETAIL HUMAN, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN!" he went on, ignoring the disappointed "aw," noise you made. Said human, probably a manager, nodded.

"Thank you," he said, "It's just- if you were to knock something down, or injure yourselves on a shelf or a sales display-"

"YES, YES, IT'S QUITE ALRIGHT," Papyrus said, and the manager nodded, then hesitated, his customer service skills obviously battling with his desire to flee the situation.

"Just let me, or another employee know if you need anything," he was saying as he scurried away, "Have a nice day!"

"AND YOU AS WELL!" Papyrus called after him, lifting his arms to rest on the handle of the cart, effectively boxing you in. You chortled as the two of you began to stump along. It was a tad uncomfortable to walk now, because of your close proximity. You left the pasta aisle for the next one, where you made a strategic duck, as if to escape, but he was quick to snag the back of your hoodie, tugging you back towards him.

"Aaaaaa," you wailed jokingly, allowing him to pull you back in front of him as the two of you entered the next aisle. You leaned your head back and bumped it against his chest, "You got me!"

"INDEED," he was saying, though his voice seemed a tad far away. Worried, you tilted your head back to look up at him, about to ask if you were being annoying, but he suddenly leaned forward, mirroring your action from earlier as he tilted his skull down so he was in front of your face. You paused, your expression frozen in a smile as you began to blush- Papyrus was one step ahead of you, his skull already flushed a dark blue.

"H-hey man," you were saying in a small voice, but Papyrus surprised you by suddenly tucking his head in and nuzzling his face against yours, as if mimicking a kiss. His nasal ridge scraped gently against the ball of your nose, his teeth pressing against your forehead while his eye sockets slipped shut, and you sputtered, giving a nervous, flustered laugh when he leaned away, "Ah! You-"

Your words stuck in your throat when, instead of straightening up, as you had, he stayed on your level, moving his hands along the handle of the cart so they were crossed over one another, and circling you in a loose hug, his arms brushing your sides. He tucked his skull into the crook of your neck, his face practically crackling with magic, and nuzzled you again. You gave a sudden, flustered yelp, leaning away into his arm slightly.

"P-papyrus!" you exclaimed, your face lighting up. He yanked his head away immediately, "W-what are you- what are you doing??"

"I- WELL-" he stuttered, any confidence he may have had disappearing in an instant as he let go of the cart and backed away from you- when you turned around, he had his arms lifted slightly in the air, as if he wasn't quite sure what to do with them, "I- YOU- YOU KISSED ME, AND I- I BELIEVED- OR AT LEAST, I TH- _THOUGHT_ THAT- THAT IS WHAT HUMANS CALL ' _MAKING A MOVE_ ', SO I- I JUST THOUGHT THAT- I WOULD... PERHAPS... R-RECIPROCATE...." he trailed off awkwardly, and you stared at him, a slow smile curling at your features.

"You- you mean, you-!" you beamed up at him, which only made him more flustered, moving to wring his hands in front of him, "You- do you like me??"

"WHAT- WELL- OF COURSE I LIKE YOU!" he sputtered, his skull turning this way and that as he seemed to be trying to look anywhere _but_ your face, "WE- WE ARE FRIENDS, YES? YOU- YOU LIKE ME AS WELL! ...RIGHT?" his hesitance made your heart stutter, and you were quick to reassure him, taking a step towards him on reflex.

"Of course!! Of course I like you, I- I mean-" he seemed to puff up just slightly, allowing himself a small grin.

"Y-YES! OF COURSE! OF COURSE YOU LIKE THE GREAT PAPYRUS," he nodded, poising his hand against his chest, despite the fact that it was shaking slightly, and he still looked very nervous. You snickered, and it was your turn to avoid his gaze, fiddling with your hands in front of you.

"I mean- What I _meant_ is-" and you took a deep breath, suddenly looking up at him, your expression fierce. He gave a startled little jump at your intensity, a tiny "nyeh," escaping him before you went on, "Papyrus!"

"Y-YES?" he prompted, and you took a few meaningful steps towards him. He allowed you to close the distance, seeming to be frozen on the spot, and you grabbed one of his hands, gripping it between yours as his blush spread to the top vertebrae of his neck.

"W-will you go on a date with me?" you exclaimed, your voice probably way too loud in the quiet store- not that either of you really paid much attention to your volume at times. He blinked in surprise, and then a wide, excited grin spread across his face. He reached down with his other hand to grasp yours as well, his eye sockets sparkling.

"YES! YES, OF COURSE! NYEH HEH HEH!" he was shouting, his voice almost echoing around the store.

You couldn't have cared less in that moment, however, because he was currently untangling his hands from yours to circle you in a tight hug, pulling you against his ribs and lifting you to spin around in a circle. You ended up accidentally kicking a bag of instant rice off of one of the bottom shelves, but neither of you noticed, Papyrus still too giddy to pay much attention to your surroundings. You were giggling, too, holding on tightly despite his grip around your middle. When he stopped spinning to straighten up, and removed an arm to grab the cart again, you sputtered slightly, kicking your feet gently in the air.

"P-Papyrus!" you said through your giggles as he began walking, allowing you to dangle from his shoulders, "You gotta let me down!!"

"HMMM, NO," he said decisively, "I WOULD _NEVER_ LET YOU DOWN," he joked, and you made a displeased noise while he chuckled, "HOWEVER! I AM ALSO HAVING EXTREME DIFFICULTY LETTING YOU _GO_. SO! YOU WILL JUST HAVE TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" and he hummed, his voice buzzing low in his ribs. You gave a flustered little exclamation, though your cheeks were practically aching from smiling.

"B-but! We're in public, and! And!" the store was basically empty, save for employees, but _still_. He gave a weary sort of sigh, to your relief.

"WELL... THAT IS TRUE," and he lowered himself down slightly, allowing your feet to settle once more on the ground. He held you for a second longer before releasing you, and you gave his shoulders a squeeze before letting go, "NYEEEH... YOU MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT," he huffed, then used his arms to box you in behind the cart again, "I WILL SIMPLY HAVE TO- KEEP YOU CLOSE, INSTEAD! UNTIL- UNTIL I CAN CUDDLE YOU PROPERLY!"

"I- well- okay!" you stuttered, putting your hands over his on the cart, then leaning your head back to grin up at him, your head brushing against his sternum. He was beaming down at you, looking only slightly less flushed than before.

"NYEH... AND OF COURSE, I WILL HAVE TO COOK FOR YOU, ON OUR VERY FIRST DATE!" he went on, bumping you gently with his chest as he continued walking down the aisle. You chuckled, tilting your head down to face forward again.

"Hmmm, I was gonna take you to the movies, or something," you said, and he hummed.

"WE CAN GO TO THE MOVIES!" he said, then gasped excitedly, "AND THE PARK IS RIGHT BY THE THEATER! WE CAN END THE EVENING WITH A ROMANTIC, STARLIT WIND SPRINT!" You snorted, leaning forward a little and shaking your head.

"UH, or we could do something that won't kill me??" you joked, laughing, and he scoffed.

"DO NOT WORRY, HUMAN! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL CARRY YOU IF YOU GET TOO TIRED," he said, moving his hands out from under yours, then settling them down on top, instead.

"Well, that _does_ sound super tempting," you said, your voice lilting up playfully. He squeezed your hands.

"YES! AND PERHAPS I WILL EVEN OFFER YOU ANOTHER ' _SHOULDER SIT_ '!" he went on, and you gave a startled laugh, which he joined in on after a brief moment, "AFTER ALL, I AM SURE IT WAS VERY FUN, NOT BEING SHORT, FOR ONCE," he said, his voice turning mischievous. It was your turn to scoff.

"Hey! I'm not short, you're just absurdly tall!" you said defensively, a laugh behind your voice. He made a quiet, fond sound in his ribs, then leaned down and nuzzled the top of your head, causing your heart to stutter slightly.

"YES, RIGHT. OF COURSE," he said, his voice teasing as he straightened up again.

"It's- you-" but you huffed, allowing him to steer you along to the next aisle. You hadn't even grabbed anything from that one, too wrapped up in one another as you meandered along slowly. As if realizing this, Papyrus paused, glancing back.

"OH! SHOOT!" and he turned the both of you back around as you chuckled, "I FORGOT TO GRAB... WELL! EVERYTHING!!"

"S'okay," you murmured, as he reached for a bag of dried beans and set it in the cart, "We're not in a hurry, right? This is nice." He paused, as if surprised, and then nuzzled into your hair again, humming affectionately.

"YES. I SUPPOSE YOU'RE RIGHT."


End file.
